NEW DELHI: Turkey's special relationship with Pakistan is arriving in the form of better ties with India.

In their search for membership for the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), India comes on a Turkish obstacle: Ankara says it wants a "clarification" or assurance on non-proliferation. In addition, Turkey is pushing the truth for Pakistan to boost its engagement using the global nuclear body. India's displeasure has led to a pointy decline in high-level interaction relating to the two countries.

Feridun Sinirlioglu, undersecretary from the Turkish foreign ministry, who led a high-level official delegation to India immediately for foreign office consultations, told TOI, "We see Turkey's relations with India being a strategic one. Our relations with Pakistan ought not impact India. We should enhance ties with India alone merit."

But he admitted that Turkey had raised a "non-proliferation" concern regarding India's membership on the NSG. "Non-proliferation is an issue," Sinirlioglu said. But he proceeded to express that Turkey would not mind India's NSG membership. Turkey is pushing a criteria-based membership for the nuclear body, which India believes, is aimed at making opportunity for an exemption for Pakistan. Ankara, however, denies this.

The nuclear membership is all-around India's heart. Turkey's stand has resulted in a pointy decline in bilateral engagement with India, despite the fact that it's deemed a significant partner. National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon was anticipated to take Turkey recently, but inexplicably cancelled his visit in the last minute, citing scheduling problems.

Turkey supported the waiver for nuclear commerce with India at the NSG in 2008. Hence, the raising of objections on non-proliferation concerns has struck a discordant note in India. India, say sources, does not have any proliferation issues. But the objections are the same ones that China had made earlier, which are intended for the same: an exemption for Pakistan. India sees this move to be against its interests and is convinced Turkey is acting as a cat's paw both for China and Pakistan. Diplomatic sources aver that Turkey was keen on "helping" Pakistan, to "save" the united states.

India underwent a difficult process of a nuclear cope with the usa and was granted a waiver with the NSG. A few years later, China announced it would sell a number of new nuclear reactors to Pakistan, so it said was "grandfathered" during the time of China joining the NSG. Given China's growing stature, there was no objection from the NSG. Turkey has argued that Pakistan's "engagement" while using NSG should increase. However, India interprets this being a backdoor entry for Pakistan, a known nuclear proliferator, in the nuclear body.

Turkey, indicated Sinirlioglu, was looking at nuclear cooperation with India. Turkey is incorporated in the sell to buy several nuclear reactors. It really is currently dedicated to Russia, but India may also take a look at Turkey as being a reactor market. That requires an NSG membership for India. Wires are clearly crossed between New Delhi and Ankara.